Top positive review

This is an early product review. I have had this computer AIO for three days.Unpacked and booted up without a hitch. Installed and updated to windows 8.1 and installed all the new VAIO updates. This took about two hours which is typical for any 8.1 update.

Boots flawlessly each and every time.

The windows screen is crystal clear. I noted one reviewer complained that the HD resolution was not as clear as some newer screens. I don't know what the complaint is as at standard resolution, the text and content is visually stunning. Color rendition is phenomenal and the clarity is HD.

This system has 16GB of ram and the new Intel Iris 5100 video driver. I have not had any lag or any delays. Multiple windows open flawlessly. The touch screen is perfect. No finger confusion and easy to use.

It met my needs. I wanted a single large screen AIO for my desktop that I could move, like a laptop, to other locations. The system is heavy, and somewhat bulky... but it is a 21.5 inch screen with battery and all components included. It is not a easily portable tablet, but the stand does push down and you have a great desktop tablet.

Every system has a particular need. I did not want a two piece system, nor a small screen laptop. I needed an AIO that could be moved with battery backup.

So far, it is the only large screen AIO with battery above 18 inches. The Dell is still using the third generation chips, the XPS 18. The larger 23 and 27 inch Dells using the Haswell are not portable.

The only large screen, portable AIO with the Haswell and Intel Iris 5100 is this Sony. The only comparable chip and build is the new Apple with the Intel Iris 5200 in the Mac Book Pro.

I read the review about screen separation. On my system, the build has a slight elevation of the edge to the body. However, it is even around the entire machine and appears to be the way it is built. There is no light leakage no separation enough to put a piece of paper into the elevated glass.

And the review where it was noted that the system was large and heavy... is clearly noted in the specs. It is 21.5 inches and weighs about 8 1/2 pounds... so, not a light weight but not a rock.

And the keyboard is smallish... but having bought many computers from many manufactures, the keyboards supplied are instantly replaced by my favorite. Currently a logitech k750 solar.

And the mouse is ok, but I now use a logitech mouse.

So, typical keyboard, nice mouse, awesome computer.

If you're in the market for an AIO that is fast, has the latest Haswell chip with latest Intel video driver, batteries, portability and crystal clear screen, consider this one.

As an update, I purchased an I Mac 21.5 inch carry bag from Ilugger. The Sony bag has gotten terrible reviews for poor quality and early deterioration.This bag get pretty much 5 star ratings.

The Sony and I Mac are almost exact same screen size configurations and it fits in the bag with room for keyboard, charger and other stuff.

Top critical review

I was eagerly awaiting for this product and was so excited to receive it when it became available. Unfortunately that excitement did not last long. I find the build of this product not to standard. This is specifically directed to the screen. The glass was slightly raised along nearly the entire right side but more pronounced on the upper part which you can insert a piece of paper. I detected this right away while unpacking the unit out of the box. It seems like it was not glued properly, possibly an assembly issue. When you push the glass down on the edge, you can feel it sits back to the base. The gap will allow dust to set in and can only gets worse over time. I'm so disappointed with this glass separation because I really want to love this product. It's one of the few All-In-One with battery out there that has the newer Intel chip. It has a very nice aluminum body and even lighter than the first generation TAP20. The stand is indeed awesome and holds its position by the weight of the unit. It seems sturdy enough. The resolution of the screen at 1080 still not enough to make the icons look sharp on a 21" screen, but in my opinion better than what you see on the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon which has a bigger screen with the same resolution. I cannot really say much about performance because I quickly wrapped the unit back in the box for return shipment.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

This is an early product review. I have had this computer AIO for three days.Unpacked and booted up without a hitch. Installed and updated to windows 8.1 and installed all the new VAIO updates. This took about two hours which is typical for any 8.1 update.

Boots flawlessly each and every time.

The windows screen is crystal clear. I noted one reviewer complained that the HD resolution was not as clear as some newer screens. I don't know what the complaint is as at standard resolution, the text and content is visually stunning. Color rendition is phenomenal and the clarity is HD.

This system has 16GB of ram and the new Intel Iris 5100 video driver. I have not had any lag or any delays. Multiple windows open flawlessly. The touch screen is perfect. No finger confusion and easy to use.

It met my needs. I wanted a single large screen AIO for my desktop that I could move, like a laptop, to other locations. The system is heavy, and somewhat bulky... but it is a 21.5 inch screen with battery and all components included. It is not a easily portable tablet, but the stand does push down and you have a great desktop tablet.

Every system has a particular need. I did not want a two piece system, nor a small screen laptop. I needed an AIO that could be moved with battery backup.

So far, it is the only large screen AIO with battery above 18 inches. The Dell is still using the third generation chips, the XPS 18. The larger 23 and 27 inch Dells using the Haswell are not portable.

The only large screen, portable AIO with the Haswell and Intel Iris 5100 is this Sony. The only comparable chip and build is the new Apple with the Intel Iris 5200 in the Mac Book Pro.

I read the review about screen separation. On my system, the build has a slight elevation of the edge to the body. However, it is even around the entire machine and appears to be the way it is built. There is no light leakage no separation enough to put a piece of paper into the elevated glass.

And the review where it was noted that the system was large and heavy... is clearly noted in the specs. It is 21.5 inches and weighs about 8 1/2 pounds... so, not a light weight but not a rock.

And the keyboard is smallish... but having bought many computers from many manufactures, the keyboards supplied are instantly replaced by my favorite. Currently a logitech k750 solar.

And the mouse is ok, but I now use a logitech mouse.

So, typical keyboard, nice mouse, awesome computer.

If you're in the market for an AIO that is fast, has the latest Haswell chip with latest Intel video driver, batteries, portability and crystal clear screen, consider this one.

As an update, I purchased an I Mac 21.5 inch carry bag from Ilugger. The Sony bag has gotten terrible reviews for poor quality and early deterioration.This bag get pretty much 5 star ratings.

The Sony and I Mac are almost exact same screen size configurations and it fits in the bag with room for keyboard, charger and other stuff.

Well made and looks good

44 comments|
17 people found this helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Although portable AIO computers (look like gigantic tablets, run on ultrabook processors and integrated graphics cards, have an internal battery that allows limited portability) are starting to become recognized as something more than a novelty, today's selection is still pretty slim -- especially because Dell has not released a second generation version of its XPS 18 with the Haswell chip.

Sony's Tap 21 (the successor to the Tap 20) is a beautiful machine with a large, bright, vivid display and sleek lines. The hinge on the back works well for keeping the AIO upright at different angles, although because it's default position is fully oapen (vs. fully closed), it can make it hard to hold onto the computer for carrying; you have to make sure you keep a good grip on the hinge because it fights against being held closed.

Some reviewers who purchased a mid-level i5 model have complained about speed, but the speed of this higher-end i7 model with the Iris 5100 graphics card seems more than adequate for running normal software programs. I have not tried any particularly demanding software (like video editing or first person shooter video games), but it handles Adobe Lightroom 5 without any issues.

The computer comes with two USB 3 ports, and I have not noticed any problems with wireless or bluetooth connections while using USB 3 harddrives (this, I understand, is a problem with some computers... for example, the Mac Mini). On the other hand, the bluetooth keyboard that comes with the Tap 21 is really problematic and keeps turning itself off. Other bluetooth devices I've paired with the Tap 21, including the bluetooth mouse that ships with the computer, stay connected just fine. I suspect the keyboard might be defective, but other reviewers on Amazon have complained about Sony keyboards they've purchased, so perhaps its a problem overall with Sony's keyboard line.

This AIO is rated for 2-3 hours of battery life, and based on limited use so far, I would estimate that this is accurate. Due to the weight of the computer (pretty heavy) and this short battery life, it isn't the kind of thing that you'll be carrying down to the coffeeshop or using in economy class on the airplane. However, it's perfect for using in different rooms of a house (or using both on a table or on the floor as I do).

It comes with Windows 8 (not Windows 8.1), which means several hours of installing updates before the operating system software is completely up-to-date. Be aware that Microsoft makes you install several rounds of Windows 8 updates before it allows you to download Windows 8.1 from the Microsoft Store. There are, of course, no directions for this, and if you don't see an option for downloading Window 8.1 in the store, just keep installing Windows 8 updates until it finally becomes available.

Pros:-- Large, beautiful, responsive touchscreen-- Latest Haswell processors available in the Tap 21-- This model comes with Iris 5100 Graphics-- Still has Ethernet port, SD card slot, physical volume button-- Has a normal / ssd paired hard-drive setup (or can be purchased with only SSD from Sony's own website)-- Plenty of processing power for more normal applications, though probably not enough for intensive tasks

Cons:-- Shorter battery life than some competitors-- Heavier than some competitors-- Included keyboard is awful-- More expensive than most ultrabooks-- Occasionally drops wifi connection (while an ipad used in the same room stays connected)-- Looks like a desktop but runs on Ultrabook hardware (which is designed to be energy-efficient and so isn't as powerful as processors and graphics cards made for use in normal desktops).

Bottom-line: The Tap 21 is large and won't win any awards for lightness or battery life, but it's a beautiful machine that is great for watching videos, browsing the web, doing amateur photo editing (the screen quality is quite good but won't live up the sky-high expectations of professional photographers), or playing casual games. Buy it if you need a large-screened computer that you can carry around and use unplugged. If a 15-inch screen is big enough, an ultrabook will probably get you more battery life for less money.

0Comment|
3 people found this helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

This computer is esthetically pleasing to the eye. There is only one visible wire since the keyboard and mouse are wireless. The all-in-one panel is thin and has more of a TV look than a bulky computer. This computer is fast and has more than sufficient memory and disk space for my work in computer programming. It's great that this flat panel computer will run off the battery like a laptop.

I would be happier if the keyboard was larger and had larger Insert and Delete keys.

I have tried to like the Windows 8.1 OS but it just is not as efficient as Windows 7 and takes more clicks and searching to find what you want. There are some good features to 8.1 but Microsoft has a long way to go before they get the user interface right.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Of course Microsoft 8 and 8.1 sucks - no doubt about it and it is a terrible interface to get use to using it. That aside, the machine is fabulous and really worth it! Love the touch and keyboard. The clarity is amazing and I can take it into my bedroom and watch a movie on netflicks - no need for a tv on the wall!

0Comment|
One person found this helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

I was eagerly awaiting for this product and was so excited to receive it when it became available. Unfortunately that excitement did not last long. I find the build of this product not to standard. This is specifically directed to the screen. The glass was slightly raised along nearly the entire right side but more pronounced on the upper part which you can insert a piece of paper. I detected this right away while unpacking the unit out of the box. It seems like it was not glued properly, possibly an assembly issue. When you push the glass down on the edge, you can feel it sits back to the base. The gap will allow dust to set in and can only gets worse over time. I'm so disappointed with this glass separation because I really want to love this product. It's one of the few All-In-One with battery out there that has the newer Intel chip. It has a very nice aluminum body and even lighter than the first generation TAP20. The stand is indeed awesome and holds its position by the weight of the unit. It seems sturdy enough. The resolution of the screen at 1080 still not enough to make the icons look sharp on a 21" screen, but in my opinion better than what you see on the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon which has a bigger screen with the same resolution. I cannot really say much about performance because I quickly wrapped the unit back in the box for return shipment.

55 comments|
4 people found this helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?